Differential stage lift flow device



July 15, 1941. A. BOYNTON v DIFFERENTIAL STAGE LIFT FLOW DEVICE Filed Dec. 8, 1939 ALEMA/05H 50m/TOM Patentecl July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,248,950 v e DIFFERENTIAL s'rAGE LIFT FLOW DEVICE I Alexander Boynton, San Antonio, Tex. Application necembervs, 1939, serial No. 398,309 'z claims. (Cl. lsv-11.1)

My invention relates to V,flowing devices for wells, especially oil wells, the ow being accomplished by aeration.

The 'principal object is to accomplishthe'flow of Well liquid by employing relatively low pressure`for starting and flowing and to obtain rela'.-

tively low gas-oil Vratios in the flowingopera- 4 tion. y

In accomplishing this object, other objects are:

,1, to cause the valve employed to admit and cutI oi the ow of pressure fluid to be actuated by a larger area than that of the valve being exposedV to the valve actuating force in order to`make the valve action more positive; 2, to minimize friction in the valve actuating means by employing a` pressure-responsive element to atuate an attached valve; 3, to provide means that will automatically regulate the ow of pressure uid in proportion to the energy required to accomplish flow of well liquid at economical gas-oil ratios; 4, to prevent the valve from being opened by slugs of well liquid flowing through the devices; and 5,

to provide mechanism for owing a well throughv either the tubing or the casing by slightly changing veither construction to accomplish the other purpose.

In attaining these objects, I interpose a chamber between the induction and the eduction tubes and within this chamber I place a pressureresponsive bellows secured at oneend and free at the other end, the free end being attached to a combination sleeve and poppet valve adapted to v close when the bellows is compressed and thereby cut ofi the supply of pressure fluid in-to the well liquid; the bellows beingadapted to be compressed by pressure uid contacting its exterior surface.-

YPressure fluid .in the annular space la, 1, and none in the tubing, will cause the well liquid to upstand in the tubing and balance against the pressure uid. If pressure fluid be placed in the tubing, and none in the annular space' la, the well liquid will upstand in the casing. Either column will be referred to as the upstanding-col- I or weld 21a and to its lower'connection 25 by the solder or weld-2lb. A clearance suchas nl; to 11g inch should be provided between the bellows and the wall ofthe bore I 2c. A low pressure tube 26 is supported'A at its lower'end in the lower connection 25 andmayhave its lower end pressed into a central upstanding ang'eof ,I attain the foregoing objects by mechanism illustrated 'in the accompanying drawing, -in which- Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section showing the installation ofthe devices in a well.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the pre-4 Similar reference characters designate s'A ar parts throughout the several views. The difference in pressures obtaining at the same time within the tubing Vand exterior of it at any level will be referred to as the dierential.

said member where it may be secured by the weld' 26a. The upper end of the tube 26 yisslidable within the central opening through@ sleeve 30 which has threaded engagement Vwithin the up. per bellows connectlngmember 29, the slots 30d being for an assembling tool. A Vcoiled spring 28,

preferably installed under s ome compression, is mounted within the bellows member land slides freely over the tube 26, itsrendsfbeing engaged. between the members 25 and 39. Said .valve tube has openings 26d therein `from the inner passage Zlc.y I

The member -29- has an annular enlargement which is supported upon the slight linternal. annular shoulder I2d against which it is held by the packing 32. Said packing is urged downward by the plug 35 acting, in turn', upon the gland ring 34, the packing 33, and the sleeve 3l, the latter member being slidable over the proximate annular ends of members 29 and 35.' A hermetic seal thus is effected proximately-above and below the annularspace 3th. l

The annular space 3Ib provides--thatuid will always nd free passage between the opening |2f and the openings Ila.

ing extension of the member 25. The packing 22, preventing leakage between the rod 'I8 and the preventing leakage between the members IB and v I9, is compressed by the gland ring 23 urged downward by the spring, installed under some compression between the ring 23 slidable within the central opening in the upper `end ofthe member is and the partition me, seid spring being free over the rod 8 and having clearance within the'chamber I2m.

The packing 2| is engaged upon the nether side of the upper enlarged portion oi' member i9 n by che sleeve zo, the ends ef this e1eeve being sudable over the lower central depending extension of the member I9. 'I'he packing I1 is' engaged upon the lower end ofthe sleeve' 2l` by the gland ring i6 slidable over the-lower`extension of the member I9 .and urged upon the packing Ilby the valve housing nipple I5, having threaded enmember I9. The bellows 21 and spring 28 should offer such resistance to compression that the valve Illa will close upon its -seat I9a at a differential force per square inch equal to the pressure per square inch of the .well liquid in an upstanding column thereof somewhat longer than the distance between adjacent devices as they are spaced in the 10 tubing.

' The valve ila is normally open, in all devices, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, until closed by the differential..

" The pressure fluid exerts the only force tending '15v to seat the valve 18a. This iluid enters the bore gagement within the lower end of the shell or valve housing |2a. The upper end'of the-valve seat member I l is engaged upon the annular internalshoulder |21 by the nipple I5 screwed within the lower end of the housing-and transmitting pressure through the ring I6, the packing I1, the sleeve v 20, and the packing 2|. The annular chambers c and 20d are formed on either side of the tubular shell 20a in order to provide pas- 25 device.

ings I2e and' Ib, regardless of the exact position rotatably of the sleeve 2l. The packings i1 and 2| serve to prevent ingress to the tubing passage |2c' of. pressure fluid, except through the annular A valve I Ia is formed upon the lower' end of away from its seat -I 9a which is formed centrally within the lower `eti'd of the lower central extension 'of themember Il, by the landing lof the member 25 upon the partition |2k, as Vappearsin Figs. 2 and 4.

of smallest diameter at I 8c, approximately midway between the upper end of the seat |9a and the -openings lib. in the lower extension of the member- I9. This serves to regulate the iiow of pressure fluid through the device. These tapersrmay A be so 'changedas to move the place of smallest diameter upward or downward.v If moved upward, the peak volume of pressure iluid while passing through the device, will be ata higher diderential, and vice versa..

The straight .portion a of the valve shank has a close sleeve valve nt within the passage itc, which lnt willl prevent pressure fluid from passing while the valve Ila is in the proximity of its seat I9a. Slugsof well liquid passing through the device. at

ings IIa, the chamber Sie, the opening 26e. and

- the valve rod or stem I2 and is normally spaced 35 40 The. lower portion of the rod II has two op- .pasitely tapered`,portions providing the place I2c through the opening |29 and contacts the outside of the bellows. This force, at all devices above the depressed liquid level in the space |a, is the value ofthe pressure fluid employed to now 0 the well. f

'Ihe force tending to unseat the valve ila in each'device is the expansive force of thebellows and the spring 28, plusA the back pressure of the upstanding liquid column in the-tubing above the The unseating force of the back pressure is exerted interiorot the bellows. -The path of this force is out of the tubing passage |2c, through "the opening I2f, the annular space 2lb. the openagainst the interior of the bellows via the openings 2Id. g

Manifestly, the force otpressure iluid, at l`any given value thereof, is constant. 'I'he opposing force of the spring and bellows is, likewise, constant and pre-determined. The differential is the only force that varies in each device according to its position with reference to the upstanding column. e I

Preferably, the devices may be spaced 150 to 300 feet apart in the tubing. I1', i'or example, the devices -are spaced 200 feet apart and a column of well liquid 200 feet high will exert a back pressure of 70 pounds per squareinch, the devices should be adjusted so that somewhat more than 'Ihe value of the pressure fluid employed to flow the well, preferably, should be not less than two or three times the diilerential requiredto close the valve, and may be much greater. vIncreasing this pressure will, of course, increase therate of liquid flow from the well.

In flowing through the tubing, the pressure highv velocity during the owing operation are,

iiuid enters the devicey through the opening I3a, lifting the check valve I4, -passes through the annular space Isc, the openings lsb, the annular space 2nd, the openings 25h, the annular space 20c, and into the tubing through the opening |2e the upper end ofl which opening the ball check` valve Il is adaptedto seat.

. Manifestly, the members I8 and 25 will have tition |2k, because neither the member 25 norA the t valveita'willpass through the opening'in this |2m, admits pressure uid to contact the upper side of gland ring 23, thus aiding the spring 24 to 'be assembled from above and below the par- The upstanding liquid column in the tubing is elongated by expansion of the globules of pressure iluid which thereby produce the flow in a manner 4'well known tothe art.

The devices illustrated invFig. 2 may be connected into the tubing 2, Fig. 1,' by means of the couplings 2a. The upper portion of the tubing may be larger than the lower portion, the diiierent sizes being joined together by the swaged riipple 5. The anchor string i below the intake nipple 6, having lateral openings 6a for admitting well liquid into the tubing, may extend to the bottom 5 of the well. 'I'he casing head 4 to compress the packing 22 for the purpose of Q75 accomplishesa hermetic seal between the tubing 2 and the casing I proximately above the ground surface 8.

'I'he gun perforations Il admit the contents of the producing formation I into the well.`

The pipe line 3 may be employed to convey pressure fluid into the annular space la if the well does not produce enough gas to ilow it or that line may be used to convey surplus gas from the well.

Inilowing through the tubing', the dotted-in discharge line 4a will be disregarded as if not shown.

Before beginning the flowing operation, it will be assumed that the liquid level in the Well is at A in both the casing and the tubing, that pressure iiuid of proper value is in the annular space ta, and that an unshown valve in the line ,2b is closed.

the unshown valve in the line 2b. The rapid,

discharge of the pressure uid through the open line 2b will close the valve in each device and cause the liquid in the tubing to quickly rise to the valve housing nipple I5 in Fig. 2,and .causes these packings to prevent the. passage of pressure uid between the intake opening IZAa and the discharge opening I2Ab, except through the annular opening I9c controlled by the valvel I8a. The gland ring 38 is urged upon the packing 31 by the plug 39 in order to close hermetically the lower end of the shell or housing |2a. The plug 40 has direct contact with the sleeve 3|, the gland ring and packing employed between the similar members in Fig. 2 being omitted in this the level indicated at C; while the liquid in the annular space la will be depressed to the level indicated at B. 'The vglve in the upper device will be barely closed or opening due to the considerable differential there, while the valve next above the level B will be wide open, due vto the slight diiferential there.

It the well is caused to il'ow at a more rapid rate than the production comes in, the level B will be. depressed until the next lower device will be uncovered and so on, until finally the openings Sa'in the nipple i will be uncovered, at which time the upstanding column in the tubing will be construction.

In flowing the well through `the casing', the path of the pressure uid .through the device is through the opening I2Aa, the annular space 36h, the openings 36a, the annular space Isc, the

openings |9b, the annular. space 20d, the openings 20b, the annular space 20c, and-out into the annular space la through the opening I-2Ab. The path of the back pressure force contacting the interior of the bellows from the annular space la is through the opening I2Ae, the annular space 3Ib, the. openings 3la, the chamber 3|c, the opening 26e, and the openings 26d.

All other parts not mentioned as diierent are the same as in Fig. 2. 'Ihe bellows and the spring v28 will be understood as ordinarily-2` requiring approximately` the same force to seat the valve |8a in Figs. 2 and 4. Likewise, the spring' 24 may be of the same force in both construe'- tions.

The installation will be the same as in Fig. 1, except as follows: The pipe line 3 will be replaced by a plug in-the casing head; and the tubing, preferably all of the smaller' diameter, will be come the induction conduit for the pressure iluid,

and the liquid iiow will, of course, be through the through the flow line indi- I the line 2b with the pipe line la open. Thevalves The check valve I4 vwill prevent any liquid left in the tubing at conclusion of any ilowing operation from draining back through 'the devices. some installations wherein it is never necessary to reverse the pressure for well cleaning purposes, a check valve may be placed in the tubing proximately above the nipple 6.'

The device illustrated in Fig.'4 is an adaptation for casing ow of the tubing now device illustrated in Fig. 2.

The body- IZA integral with the shell portion I2a, having the sloping ends I2b and I2b' as tubing guides, is similar to the device in Fig. 2, but has the openings I2Ac and |2Ad communicating with the opening I-2c' interior of the tubing, instead of with the annular space I a, as in Fig. 2. These openings allow pressure fluid to contact the same members and for the same purpose as in Fig. 2. 'I'he opening I2Aa conveys pressure fluid into the device in the same man- .ner as the opening I3a in the previous embodi- The device next above the level D will open wide, while the one above' it will remain closedA or be opening. The path of pressure iluid after the well has been pumped off will be, of course,

readily understood without further discussion.

Since the flow device valve Ila will be open always to admit pressure fluid above -the base of the upstanding column for either tubing or casing flow, itis evident that much less pressurewill be required to start a well equipped with these devices than would be required to start one by forcing the non-aerated upstanding column out through the tubing.

In deep wells, it is sometimes conducive tolower gas-liquid ratios if the devices have their valves controlling the admission of pressure uid adjusted to close at progressively less differential with increasing depth. Such adjustment some-v times will require that the'yalves be further adjusted to intake progressively less pressure uid and that they also be spaced progressively' closer l,together as the depth increases.

For flowing through the tubing, the'upper portion of the tubing may be larger than that be- 4low in order to provide for more eftcient expansion of the pressure lluid. For flowing through the casing, the tubing,V which then becomes the induction conduit, may be preferably all of one size, and smaller than that employed for the tubing iiow method.

It is apparent that various minor changes may be made in the constructionsV set forth in the `specication and drawing, within the scope and jecting downwardly in said chamber, lateral ports therein connecting with the interior of said body, a valve stem extending downwardly through said seat member, an oppositely flaring area on said stem adjacent said ports, a valve at the lower end of said stem formed to engage the lower end of said seat member, and means responsive to differential fluid pressure between the interior and exterior of said body for controllingthe flow of pressure fluid through the housing.

2. In a stage lift ilow device, a valve body, a tubular valve housing thereon, a lower valve chamber in said housing having an inlet, a valve in said inlet, a tubular valve seat member projecting downwardly in said chamber, said seat member closing across said housing except for an axial passage, ports in said seat member connecting with the interior of said body, a valve stem projecting downwardly through said passage, an oppositely flaring areaon said stern in the tubular portion thereof, a valve at the lower lend of said stem formed to engage the lower end of said seat member, and means responsive to differential uid pressure between the interior and exterior of said body for controlling'the flow of pressure fluid through the housing.

3. In a stage lift flow device, a valve b0dy. a valve housing thereon, a valve chamber at the lower end of said housing, an upper chamber, a bellows diaphragm in said upper chamber, a tubular seat member in said valve chamber, a stem .on

through said seat member, a valve seat at the lower end of said seat member, a valve on said stem, lateral ports in said seat member communicating with the interior of said bodya reduced tapered area on said stem adjacent said ports, said upper chamber having openings therein to the interior 'and exterior of said body whereby differential fluid pressure may move said diaphragm vand said va 've.

4. A valve body, a't bular housing thereon, a valve chamber in one end of said housing having passages leading to the interior and exterior of the body,fa second chamber having passages leading to the interior and exterior of the body, a

bellows diaphragm in the second chamber, a partition separating said chambers, a valve stem on said diaphragm having a sealing iit through said partition, a tubular seatmember through which said stem projects, lateral ports in said seat member opening to one of the passages in the valve chamber, a seat on the projecting end of said seat' member, a valve on said stem, a reduced metering area on said stem adjacent said ports, ra cylindrical area on said stem between said meteringarea and said valve, said diaphragm being exposed on one area to pressure from within said body and on its opposite area to fluid I pressure from outside said body.

5. A valve body, a tubular housing thereon, a valve chamber in one end of said housing having passages leading to the interior and exterior of the body, a second chamber, a bellows diaphragm in the second chamber, a partition separating said chambers, a valve stem on said diaphragm having a sealing fit through said partition, a tubular seat member through which said stem projects, lateral ports in said Yseat member opening through-the wall of said housing to one of said passages, a seat on the projecting end of said seat member, a valve on said stem below said seat tapered to engage therein, an oppositely flaring area on said stem movable with said stem relative to said ports, and fluid ports in said diaphragm chamber exposing said diaphragmto pressures of fluid from within and from the outside of said body.'

6. In a stage lift ow device, a valve body, a tubular housing thereon, a partition therein dividing said housing intoan upper bellows diaphragm chamber and a lower valve chamber, a

said diaphragm extending, downwardly projection.

bellows diaphragm member in the first mentioned chamber, a seat member below said partition, a tubular reduced portion on said seat member projecting downwardly in said valve'chamber, a sleeve on said reduced portion, inner and outer annular Agrooves in said sleeve, ports in said seat member, said sleeve and said housing communieating with the interior of said body, means above and below said sleeve to seal said seat member with said housing, a valve stem on said bellows member projecting through said partition and said seat member, a valve on the lower end of said stem, a restricted metering area on said stem adjacent said ports, and an inlet for pressure fluid to said valve chamber.

7.- A flow valve housing having an upper cham ber and a lower chamber, a valve seat member in one of said chambers, a tubular projection on said member extending axially of said valve chamber, a valve stem slidable longitudinally in said tubular projection, means in the other of said chambers responsive to differential pressures between the ends of the chamber to move said valve stem, a seat on the end of said projection, a valve on said stem to engage said seat, lateral outlet ports from said projection, an inlet port to said chamb er beyond said valve, and metering vmeans on said stem to vary the lamount of uid flowing past saidvalve as said'stem is moved in said tubular ALEXANDER BoYN'roN. 

